Paedophile Robert Black given ‘Rolls-Royce’ treatment in £5,500 private plane

Robert Black must serve at least 25 years for the murder of Jennifer Cardy, pictured

THE authorities paid more than £5,500 to hire a private plane for serial child killer Robert Black’s trial, it was revealed.

Black, 64, received “Rolls-Royce treatment” as he was transported for trial from England.

The paedophile was told he must serve a minimum of 25 years for murdering nine-year-old Jennifer Cardy, who was snatched as she cycled to a friend’s house in Ballinderry, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, in 1981.

Democratic Unionist peer Lord Maurice Morrow said: “I am utterly appalled at the overt expenditure in this case. It is simply outside the realms of reasoning to have the taxpayer shell out this amount of money.”

The murderer, who has been convicted of killing four young girls and is being investigated over a fifth disappearance, is serving 12 life sentences at Wakefield Prison.

This includes jail terms for murder and kidnapping handed down by Mr Justice Ronald Weatherup at Belfast Crown Court last month, which effectively added a further seven years to the date at which Black could be considered for release.

The former delivery driver abducted Jennifer while on a work trip to Northern Ireland and dumped her body in water close to the main Belfast-Dublin road near Hillsborough, Co Antrim, before catching a ferry home.

The legal aid bill for the Northern Ireland case is £350,000 and is set to climb further when counsel submit their full accounts, Lord Morrow said.

Stormont Justice Minister David Ford told Lord Morrow that £5,675 was paid for a private plane to transport the convicted murderer for trial to Northern Ireland from his prison in Britain by London’s Department of Justice. It was a one way trip.

Lord Morrow added: “The legal aid fund and the defence of criminals should not be used as an open cheque-book under the guise of human rights legislation.

“I am satisfied Robert Black’s rights would have been adequately served under the usual precedents and by routine prisoner transfer.”

He added: “I am demanding a full explanation for the sanctioning of such Rolls-Royce treatment.”

The Justice Minister said the normal way to transfer prisoners to and from jurisdictions was by standard plane or ferry.

Lord Morrow said the cost was paid from the National Offender Management Service through the Ministry of Justice in Westminster.

The peer said he could have been seated on a regular flight in a rear row with police and prison staff to avoid being conspicuous or could have travelled on a vehicle and ferry.

Lord Morrow added: “I never cease to be astounded at the continual high level outlay for offenders which is in stark contrast to victims and their families, but this case has surpassed all others to date.”